SAN ANTONIO – Moments after the San Antonio Spurs announced Gregg Popovich would step down as head coach, assistant coach Mitch Johnson, who served as interim head coach, would be promoted to coach the franchise.
The team confirmed ESPN’s report on Johnson’s promotion to Spurs head coach.
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Johnson served as the Spurs’ interim head coach for the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season after Popovich suffered a stroke on Nov. 2, 2024.
The Spurs announced Friday morning that Popovich would no longer coach the team and would transition to become the team’s president of basketball operations.
>>Gregg Popovich will no longer coach Spurs, transitioning to president of basketball operations role
See below for more on Johnson’s background.
Background
After the San Antonio Spurs announced head coach Gregg Popovich’s indefinite hiatus from the team on Monday, citing illness, the public wondered about the team’s interim selection.
Mitch Johnson was appointed to the top spot after the team announced Popovich’s situation involving an unknown illness.
The Spurs said Popovich missed Saturday’s home game win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Johnson was told of Popovich’s unavailability hours before Saturday’s game, according to the Associated Press.
Marking his third time filling in as head coach, Johnson will lead the team on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday and the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
Mitch Johnson’s background
Johnson joined the Spurs organization in 2016 as an assistant coach with the Austin Spurs, spending time under head coaches Ken McDonald and Blake Ahearn.
He moved over to work under Popovich as an assistant in 2019 and has been in San Antonio ever since.
Johnson was born in Seattle, Washington. He graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.
Coming out of college, Johnson went undrafted in 2009. During his time at Stanford, he averaged 5.2 points, three rebounds, 4.1 assists, and shot 38.3% from the field, ESPN statistics show.
Johnson had a three-year professional career, with time spent in the NBA’s G League, according to the National Basketball Coaches Association.
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